Slab separating device



Sept. 24, 1940. I M. F. PETTLEI Q 1,

SLAB SBPARATING DEVICE Filed llay 10, 1940 Patented Sept. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates toimprovements in apparatus for separating fired clay slabs and it is among the objects of the invention to provide a simple and economical device for separating rela- 5 tively thin fired clay slabs with a minimum of breakage.

Recent developments in the building industry employ thin brick veneer slabs for mounting on the sidewall of dwellings, such slabs being produced by wire-cutting a full-size brick to produce seven slabs. After cutting, the brick is fired the same as a whole brick, and the slabs are separated after firing.

Considerable breakage results from separating the fired slabs by hand, which is eliminated by the present invention through the use of high speed reciprocating tools.

The invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing 20 constituting a part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a slab separating machine embodying the principles of this invention; and

Fig. 2 an end elevational view thereof with a portion of the drive pulley cut away.

In the drawing, the numeral I designates a supporting table on which is journalled a shaft 2 carrying a belt pulley 3 driven by a motor 4 mounted on a transverse support 5 of the table. Shaft 2 is journalled at 6, l and 8 and a gear wheel 9 is mounted to rotate with the shaft. A plurality of slide bars I are mounted in journals II, the bars II] having a round end I2 for engagement with the teeth I3 of the wheel 9, as shown in Fig. 2.

The opposite ends of the slide bars I I are provided with slotted heads I4 for receiving cutters I having a wedged tip I6 which constitute the cutting edges for separating the-slabs I! which are scored as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l. Coil springs I8 abut against the slide bearing II at one end and the heads I4 of the slide bars at the other end to hold the bars free of the teeth of wheel 9. Angle brackets I9 are mounted on the table to constitute abutments for the slide bar heads I4, the brackets being provided with slots 20 through which the cutter I5 projects.

To properly align the fired clay brick with the cutter point I6, an adjustable angle bracket 2I is mounted on the angle bracket I9 by means of a bolt 22 extending through a slot in the angle bracket IS. The bolt is provided with a wing-nut to facilitate adjustment to space the edge of the angle bracket 2I to conform to the thickness of the slabs to be separated. This is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

To separate the slabs, it is only necessary, after proper adjustment of the bracket 2! has been made, to hold the slab I! against the edge of the bracket 2| and press it against the .cutting bit I6 of the reciprocating tool. By pressing the fired clay block against the cutting point I6 and pushing the' cutter bar I0 against the tension of the coil spring I8, the rounded end I2 of the bar engages the teeth of the wheel 9,, which subjects the bar to a very rapid reciprocatory movement that quickly and safely separates the slabs without breakage. As the slabs are separated the successive wire-cut sections align themselves with the cutting bit to become separated.

While the invention may have other uses, it is primarily intended for the separation of fired clay articles as herein described.

I claim:

1. A machine for separating fired clay slabs comprising a cutting tool mounted on a flat supporting table, a toothed wheel having a relatively large number of angularly spaced teeth for engagement with one end of the cutting tool, spring means normally biasing the tool away from the teeth of the Wheel, and a drive for the wheel to subject the cutting tool to rapid reciprocatory movement when pressed against the wheel.

2. A machine for seperating fired clay slabs comprising a cutting tool mounted on a fiat supporting table, having a cutting point, said cutting tool having a socket end for receiving the cutting element and being rounded at the opposite end thereof, a wheel having a plurality of teeth adapted for engagement with the rounded end of the cutter bar, a coil spring engaging the cutter bar to resiliently bias the rounded end of the bar away from the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and drive means for said Wheel.

3. A machine for separating fired clay slabs comprising a toothed rotary wheel mounted with 40 its axis substantially in the plane of a support,

a reciprocatory separating cutting tool mounted on said support in alignment with and adapted at one end to contact the teeth of the wheel, a stop plate at one end of the reciprocatory'mem- 5 her, a coil spring biasing the reciprocatory memher away from the wheel whereby, by application of the clay body to be separated against the cutting point of the tool, the reciprocatory member is'brought in engagement with the teeth of the wheel to subject the same to a rapid reciprocatory movement.

4. Apparatus as set forth in the next preceding claim having an adjustable angle bracket on the support for spacing the clay body relative to the cutting point.

MASHEL F. PETTLER. 

